


vanilla iced coffee

by InkCaviness



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Akaashi Keiji in a Skirt, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Magic, Demigirl Yaku, Magical Realism, Other, genderfluid akaashi keiji
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-11
Updated: 2016-03-11
Packaged: 2018-05-26 00:27:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,504
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6216262
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InkCaviness/pseuds/InkCaviness
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Leaning against the counter stood a tall person a floppy hat obscuring half of their face and sloping shoulders clad in dark, transparent fabric. A dark violet skirt hugged their long legs with a slit on the side reaching up almost all the way to their hip and they wore a necklace with a heavy golden amulet dangling from it.<br/>They fixed the other customer with a cold stare and even though their dark red lips were pulled into a slight smile a shiver ran down Kenma’s spine at the thought of being at the receiving end of this piercing look.</p>
            </blockquote>





	vanilla iced coffee

**Author's Note:**

> god, i had a normal coffeeshop au planned out and then today it hit me that, no, i don't want to write an ordinary coffeeshop au, instead it became magical realism! i actually have like 3000 sidestories planned for this already but it's already 3am here and i really really need to post this now but you can definitely except more for this au in the future!!!  
> this is my gift for [tsukoii](http://tsukoii.tumblr.com) for the rare pair exchange!! i hope you'll like this!!

Kenma was wiping down the counter with slow movements, his hair falling in front of his face like a curtain when Kuroo suddenly appeared by his side.

“I quickly gotta go run down to the store,” he said and leaned against the counter, crossing his arms in front of his chest. “Are you okay handling the shop on your own for a bit?”

Kenma didn’t need to look up at his face to know that Kuroo wasn’t trying to pressure him; instead he was really genuinely asking if Kenma would be okay. Wrapping the towel around his hand and fiddling with the frayed out end he threw a glance around the shop. There was no line at the moment and only a few customers sat around the shop, all of them regulars he saw at least twice a week. Still keeping his eyes trained on the tattoo on Kuroo’s left shoulder Kenma nodded and went back to trying to scrub a particular nasty stain off the counter.

“I’ll be fine,” he muttered.

“Awesome,” Kuroo replied, the smile in his voice glaringly obvious, “If you need help, Yaku’s still in the back.”

With that he lightly pressed his fingertips against Kenma’s upper arm before turning away and leaving through the back door. Kenma continued cleaning up and organizing the ingredients behind the counter, occasionally fiddling with their old, tinny sounding radio, when the ringing of the bell above the door startled him. He almost dropped the coffee mug in his hands and when he turned around on his heels he was faced with a middle aged man in a pin striped suit standing at the cash register. He was rapidly tagging his fingernails against the counter, his lips pressed together in a tightly line and stared at Kenma with an annoyed scowl. Slowly Kenma set the mug down next to the coffee machine and shuffled closer to the counter.

“Welcome to Nekoma café,” he croaked out and tried to continue making eye contact by staring at a point a little above the man’s right eyebrow, “How can I-“

“A venti caramel latte with an extra shot of luck,” the man rushed out before Kenma could finish his question.

Swallowing down the lump in his throat Kenma refrained from pointing out that they weren’t actually a Starbucks. “I’m sorry,” he said, “If you want a magical topping you’ll have to wait a minute until our witch gets back.” His voice came out barely above a whisper but he managed to get the sentence out without stuttering or looking down at the floor.

“What,” the man snapped and his expression darkened further, “I can’t wait. I have a meeting soon, that’s why I need the luck, are you stupid or something?”

Kenma took a deep breath and squared his shoulders. “I’m really sorry, sir,” he tried again, “but I cannot work magic so I can’t-“

“I don’t care,” the man interrupted him again; “you should be treating your customers with more respect! I ordered a drink and you better make it or I’ll talk to your manager and-“

“Excuse me, sir,” a soft voice interrupted the customer. Kenma slowly turned his head to take in the new person standing at the counter and his breath actually stopped for a second. Leaning against the counter stood a tall person a floppy hat obscuring half of their face and sloping shoulders clad in dark, transparent fabric. A dark violet skirt hugged their long legs with a slit on the side reaching up almost all the way to their hip and they wore a necklace with a heavy golden amulet dangling from it. They fixed the other customer with a cold stare and even though their dark red lips were pulled into a slight smile a shiver ran down Kenma’s spine at the thought of being at the receiving end of this piercing look. “You’re holding up the line so I would kindly ask you to just accept your drink and move on.”

The nagging customer actually seemed to take a step back at that, but he didn’t fall silent. “I need the luck. And it’s on the menu!”

The pretend smile fell off the newcomer’s lips and they drew their eyebrows together before slowly turning to Kenma. “Can you make the drink,” in a far softer tone than before, “I can add the luck.”

Mechanically Kenma nodded his head and scurried off to prepare the coffee. The shop suddenly seemed deadly quiet even though Kenma could still hear quiet conversations and Celine Dion singing about love in the background. He stubbornly kept his eyes trained on his hands as he poured the latte into a cup and drizzled caramel syrup on top. When he came trudging back to the counter the person with the glinting eyes and the floppy head immediately took the paper cup from his hands and moved their fingers over it in a swirling motion. Heavy red light started dripping off their fingers, not quite a liquid and not quite like smoke. It dissolved in the coffee within seconds, leaving behind the faint smell of pomegranate. The dangerous smile was back on their lips when they handed it over to the customer who threw them last wary glance before throwing a few coins on the counter and leaving without so much as a second look at Kenma.

His shoulders dropped as soon as the customer exited the door and he looked back down at his hands. “That didn’t look like a luck spell,” he mumbled, “What was it really?” He peeked up at the other customer from under his bangs just to see them grinning in a way that made goosebumps run down Kenma’s spine.

“Well, “they said, “it may have been a little aphrodisiac but that’s not too far off from luck, no is it?”

Kenma blinked up at them for a moment before a small smile tugged at the corners of the mouth. “What can I get for you?”

They glanced up at the menu board over their head and hummed along to the song playing on the radio for a moment before they looked back at Kenma.

“I’ll just have a small vanilla iced coffee to go, please.”

Kenma quietly turned around and started mixing together the drink.

“Can I ask for your name,” they suddenly asked and Kenma halted in his movement for a second.

“Kozume, “he mumbled, “but please call me Kenma.”

“Nice to meet you, Kenma, “they smoothly greeted him, “I’m Akaashi.”

Kenma turned back around and held out the drink towards them with a smile, “Here you go, Akaashi.”

They took the cup and pushed themselves off the counter but before they left Kenma spoke up again. “Thanks for helping me out.”

At that they stopped, halfway to the door and looked back at Kenma over their shoulder. “The pleasure was all mine, “they said, winked, and walked out of the shop with long strides, leaving Kenma leaning against the counter and staring after them.

When he looked down at the bill they had pressed into his hands a small strip of paper slipped out from between them. At the sight of the series of numbers scribbled on it in blue glitter pen Kenma could feel the tips of his ears heat up.

 

“Well, “he heard Kuroo’s voice and turned around to see him leaning against the frame of the back door, “You certainly got yourself a pretty one there.”

Behind him Yaku showed up, shaking her head and with her arms crossed in front of her chest. “I can’t believe that guy wanted to talk to a manager, as if I’m gonna fire you for not being able to put a charm on his fuckin’ coffee.”

Kenma pulled a face at that and made low whining sound. “You heard?”

“I was gonna say something but then Akaashi showed up and honestly their stare can be more terrifying than mine.”

“You know them, “Kuroo asked in apparent surprise.

Yaku just shrugged. “Met them in a seminar once but we don’t talk much anymore.”

Before Kenma could ask what kind of seminar that had been Kuroo was standing by his side trying to peer down at the paper. “You should call them, “he said and leaned in a bit closer.

“Why should-“When Kenma glanced back at the note a line of text had appeared underneath the phone number in the same glittery blue pen.

 

_Call me –Akaashi_

Before he could really react Kuroo was already waving his phone in front of Kenma’s face.

“You don’t have to if you don’t wanna, “Yaku reminded him from where she was still standing by the door but Kenma was already punching in the numbers.

 

He pressed the phone to his ear, trying to calm down his breathing while the call connected.

 

“Akaashi Keiji, how may I help you,” the soft voice from earlier greeted him after the third ring.

 

“Hey, I know I’m calling pretty quickly but here’s Kenma, from the café.”

**Author's Note:**

> talk to me on [tumblr](http://inkcaviness.tumblr.com)!! (also pls message me if you wanna know more about this au bc i just cannot stop thinking about it etdxkgfhxy)


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